BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Buddhism Right Efforts = Work on Healthy Tasks

The right effort aspect of Buddhism is to ensure that the tasks you work on each day are ones in line with your views. Are you doing things you can be proud of? Or are you doing things just out of habit or because someone else made you?

What did you do today? Are you proud of those items? Why or why not?

Good question Lisa,
Not a Buddhist, but a Taoist I can truly say that I am pleased with my growth efforts today. I do make an effort to stand away from feelings of pride, as I feel it legitimates the ego and places me above others and also above my previous efforts.

I have openly acknowledged my shortcomings today to my teacher as a means of staying on my course of balance. I acknowledge my shortcomings not out of habit but for truly walking the path of seeking balance and truth. I do embrace my humility as a human being and see my fumblings as lessons to honor.

Shay

I agree it is very important to know yourself and know what you need to work on. Not in a "I suck because I'm fat" way - but in a "I need to dedicate more time to exercise because I want to become more healthy" sort of way.

That's so right Lisa! It does no good to beat yourself up for things you consider to be "punishable." Instead it is best to focus on where you want to be and move in that direction.

Shay

I think a lot of us have trouble admitting faults because of that. We are used to being beaten on for obvious faults we can't help, so we hide all our faults. But then we beat on ourselves for "silly" faults like "Jeez my thighs are so fat!!" We need a much better balance between understanding our things to work on - but not berating ourselves for things that are wrong.

Yes, Lisa I couldn't agree more. And often the "faults" that we are criticized for are not really faults at all, but simple marks of our physical humanness. Focusing on such things as perceived "fat thighs" (which I decided that I had in the second grade!) only deters a person from truly putting focus on their lack of self esteem. One of the most prominent symptoms of low self esteem is attaching one's self to the belief that they are in one way or another superior to another person. This is the tallest flaw to face with humility. Yet it is one of the most celebrated in the American society via the ever revered "competitive edge" against others.

Shay

Well, this is a tricky thing to balance. I think it is good *to* know where you are better at something than someone else. If I am better at managing finances than Bob is, it is important I know it and manage our finances. Otherwise if I assume we're both equally good - and he never pays bills - then we are in trouble ...

I hope people will understand me when I say this, but I don't wish it to be taken as criticism....
Are we looking at the eightfold Path from a Buddhist analytical point of view?
Are we trying to define and understand what the Eight Virtues are according to Buddhist teachings - or ar we putting a new and 'detached' non-buddhist interpretative slant upon them?
because Right Effort is far deeper than just looking at what we've accomplished today....
I have to be Mindful how I phrase this, because I know that we do not have the beneficial advantage of vocal inflection, intonation, body language or visual contact here....
As a Buddhist, I strive with care and Mindfulness to fulfil my own personal promise in seeking refuge in the Buddha the Dhamma and the sangha. the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path form the absolute fundamental, solid immovable base and fulcrum of all the Buddhist scriptures and teachings.Buddhism is a 100% vocational practice.
These virtues have deep, profound and complex lessons for us, and some studies concerning these teachings may take a lifetime to implement as second nature....
Therefore, please forgive me, if I admit I feel a little disturbed to see these teachings being interpreted in a fairly light, not to say flipant, manner....
The Ten Commandments are basically, quite literally, 'set in stone.' They are precisely that - unambiguous, clear-cut commands. "Thou shalt", and "Thou shalt not". Little room for manoevre there....
The Eightfold path, by very virtue of the fact that each person must utilise their own discernment, interpretation and valuation of their own actions (thus being subject to constant change and Kammic influence)is a deep convoluted exercise in the development and cultivation of absolute Virtue. Wisdom, compassion and Equanimity.
So for me, to see them being utilised to evaluate a life outside Buddhist scope, and commented upon in a lighter, "shallower" way, is a little..... disturbing.

I hope you can understand what it is I'm trying to say....
The Eightfold Path is an extremely deep set of guidelines designed, if you will, to be the fundamental fulcrum upon which a Buddhist bases their entire way of Life.

In order for you to live your lives the way you are illustrating your days, you don't need the eightfold path as an indicator.

And to use it as such, without fully examining each virtue, to its fullest depth, and LIVING it to its fullest depth, does it - pardon me - a great injustice.

This is very important to me.
I really don't want anyone to think I am judging or condemning anyone.
But this is my Religion being put to "lightweight" use here.
And it makes me a little uncomfortable.....
It either needs serious discussion with regard to what it means to use the Eightfold Path in the intended Buddhist sense - or otherwise, there is no point really pursuing it.

I've read this several times and thought about it a lot, but I am still not sure what struck you as inappropriate. I am seeking guidance.

My initial post was

"The right effort aspect of Buddhism is to ensure that the tasks you work on each day are ones in line with your views."

I didn't feel that was lightweight - I felt that was a very core statement.

How should that be phrased differently?

Yes, but this is the second section of your post.
And it misses the point....
Pride is not a factor to be encouraged. The process of following the eightfold path is to eliminate the attachment to the Self (what is erroneously called the Ego, in western ideology) and focus on liberation from suffering....
Maybe this will help....

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